NHL Considering Major Changes To 2024 NHL Draft Venue
The NHL Draft is one of the marquee events on the NHL calendar. As far as events go it is the biggest one of the summer for the league. Today it was announced they are considering a new venue for this year's draft.
NHL Still Considering Decentralized Draft
The NHL announced earlier this year that they will be moving to a decentralized version of the NHL Draft in the future. The original plan was to start this for the 2025 NHL Draft. However, new information from Gary Bettman indicates the timeline has possibly moved up.
«The issue, the only open issue, is whether we have it as early as 2024 or whether we push it to 2025,» NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Thursday ahead of the Global Series. «I think our objective is to have a 2024 Draft that looks a lot like our traditional Draft and transition in 2025. But we don't have enough premonition to say that's what's going to happen.»
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The league is considering starting their new draft format as early as this offseason. Changing the draft process this offseason would mean major modifications to the venue that is going to host the draft. The NHL confirms they are comfortable with either format and the change comes due to a request from the teams.
«We were very comfortable and still are with the format we've been using. It's different than any [other league] uses. We kind of liked that this was an organic proposal that a number of clubs suggested – and we're not going to fight it. We'll take a poll of the clubs and if an overwhelming majority want to make a change, we'll implement their will.»
If the NHL decides to go decentralized they could open up the opportunity to use one of the most talked about facilities in the United States to host their new NHL Draft.
The Sphere Could House The NHL Draft
One of the rumored locations that the league is considering within Las Vegas is The Sphere. A spherical video globe that projects whatever show or event is going on inside the building within. This would be the most innovative draft in NHL history.
«The event in either format is still going to be a major event,» commissioner Gary Bettman said. «There's still going to be fans invited, the players, the prospects will be there with their families. The only difference will be whether the clubs will be on the floor as opposed to being at home, where they can do their own fan events and they can have more access to all their personnel in real-time.
If the event remains in Las Vegas Gary Bettman and the NHL are sure to make it a spectacle regardless of the venue. As the date draws closer and closer the league will need to decide if they want to bring the draft to the Sphere or a more traditional location like T-Mobile Arena.
| POLL | ||
16 NOVEMBRE | 151 ANSWERS NHL Considering Major Changes To 2024 NHL Draft Venue Where should the NHL Draft be held? | ||
| The Sphere without team personnel | 73 | 48.3 % |
| T-Mobile Arena with team personnel | 78 | 51.7 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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